On Friday, September 8th, the Prep school celebrated International Day of Charity. This annual observance encourages people to unite and share their time, resources, and energy, all with the goal of making a positive impact on the lives of those in need. To mark this day Prep school pupils arrived wearing clothes, shoes, and bags, […]
“Please get off your phone!” “Are you still on YouTube?” How many times must we say the sentences above to our children? Every day at least. It’s an increasingly frustrating feature of nearly every household with children or teenagers. Every parent I speak to has the same problem – not their children spending time on […]
“As we look into the next century, leaders will be those who empower others.” — Bill Gates As Head of Sixth Form I am continually impressed by the work, energy and enthusiasm of our Prefect body at Marlborough College and their commitment to leave behind a legacy that will benefit future cohorts. Their leadership […]
I hope you are well and 2023 has got off to a positive start. It is refreshing to have so many events happening in which we can watch our wonderful children engage, enjoy and excel. The purpose of this Wellbeing Blog is to make you aware of a wellbeing partner we have recently teamed up […]
As the firecrackers of the Lunar New Year festival continue their nightly percussion over much of Asia this week and as Scots all over the world celebrated Burns Night on Wednesday, my thoughts turned to what gives us our sense of identity and makes us proud. So often the values and characteristics that we might […]
If you as a parent were offered a chemical-free, totally organic, magic potion that was proven to reduce your child’s risk of depression, anxiety, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, to improve their mood, sharpen their focus and memory and almost certainly to improve their grades at school, would you take me up on the offer? The […]
In 1990 I embarked on my first rugby tour to Canada at the sprightly age of 15. I still remember the stunning scenery, amazing people, and excitement surrounding touring Nova Scotia and Newfoundland. Being selected was a real privilege for me and four of my year group peers as the tour’s youngest players. Three months […]
The late Sir Ken Robinson is the most viewed speaker on TED.com in one of his talks, Do Schools Kill Creativity? opens with, “Creativity is as important as literacy and should be given the same status…”. And describes the power of the Arts and their positive influence on the development of young people. “If we […]
Before the pandemic, the value of our smiles was somewhat under-appreciated and after coming out from hiding for two years the Pre Prep has never been so bright with smiley faces and buzzing children. Research has shown that the simple act of smiling can elevate your mood and the mood of those around you. Now […]
At Marlborough College Malaysia we recognise that wellbeing is multifaceted. As such, we have designed a Wellbeing program that is diverse and holistic. We aim to support pupils to “Flourish” during their time here. This term comes from Martin Seligman who is considered a founding father of Positive Psychology. Seligman proposed that wellbeing is […]
As we approach the beginning of our first exeat, a time for both pupils and staff to pause and reflect on the first four weeks of term, it is important also to reflect on an issue that we are all concerned about: progress. Not academic progress. That, quite rightly, gets a significant amount of attention […]
Back in January 2020, I wrote the first of our Parent Wellbeing Blogs. The purpose of this channel of communication is to enable us to work together to help your son or daughter flourish at MCM and in later life. As stated then, we want parents to be fully aware of what we are doing […]
I always feel there is a unique piquancy to these days as the long summer holiday approaches. There is a heady joy at losing the structure of the school day, the school run, the homework chasing, the music practice reminding, the sports kit washing – again. But also a slight tension as to what life […]
The ‘Inside – Out’ and Upside – Down of Helping Our Children Manage Their Emotions Recently, our very talented Shell Drama students presented their ‘Inside Out’ drama production, based on the animated Disney film about feelings. The piece, like the film, concentrates on the five emotions of: Fear; Disgust; Anger; Sadness and Joy. […]
Social Distancing. It has been one of the many pandemic era refrains running through our lives over the course of the last two years: the ideal physical distance between two people to keep them safe. Recently, I took a trip to the mall and I noticed that, among the other SOPS slowly thawing […]
When we listen, how well do we really listen? Could we listen better? What would that actually look like? Just how important is it to listen effectively and how can that help us in our daily lives? When was the last time you really felt listened to? How did this make you feel? I’m […]
A wise and much-respected character in fiction, Atticus Finch, tells his daughter Scout that ‘You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view – until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.’ (39). While ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ is set in a rural Alabama town in […]
Speaking of well-being… Malay: kesejahteraan Spanish: bienestar. Chinese: 健康快乐 French: bien-être. Japanese: 幸福で満たされている状態 German: Wohlbefinden. I first had the opportunity to learn a new language in my first year of senior school (a very long time ago!). French was the only language on offer- that made sense as the French and Scots have […]
Exam season is upon us. From internal assessments to exams that will help determine university predicted grades, without forgetting the ongoing external IGCSE and IB exams; there is a growing buzz around the College. It is natural and very normal for anxiety levels to increase during this time. As Beaks, this change of pace and […]
“Don’t grow up, it’s a trap!” is one of my favourite quotes that reminds me to embrace my inner child through adulthood. But what does that mean? The dictionary definition of ‘inner child’ is ‘“the childlike usually hidden part of a person’s personality that is characterised by playfulness, spontaneity, and creativity” (Mirriam-Webster.com). When we are […]